posted
In another week I will have access to my own computer again and can post my recipe too.
On the other hand, I have no objection to selecting ingredients for the dessert round now, and rivka and I can post our main course recipes when we are able.
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We're moving into our apartment next week. Since I'm going to be starting from an emptier than usual kitchen I might cheat a little on the shopping. But I won't buy anything that it isn't likely I would have had in my kitchen if it weren't for the move. I hope that's okay with everyone.
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posted
No problem Dana. For the last round, I did my cooking in an apartment in Germany (visiting faculty housing) where I started with absolutely nothing. I stretched the rules a bit but everything I used outside the ingredients list was something I normally have in my kitchen.
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posted
Me, I always do my week's grocery shopping on Friday morning, after work. That's when I get the ingredients on The List, as well as everything else we need for the week. And if I use those everything else things in the recipe, well, too bad. I don't count that as cheating.
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posted
My son ate up the watermelon, and I can't find any raspberries for less than $3 for a teeny little basket. So count me out for catch-up on main dish.
But count me in for dessert. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I'm afraid of incompatible dessert ingredients. Chocolate desserts are classic, and lemony things are delicious, but it is hard to get chocolate and lemon to play nicely together in a dessert.
I'm kind of hoping that no one submits chocolate as an ingredient. It's almost too easy. Chocolate all by itself is already a tasty dessert. I think it's more fun to try to make something different and unexpected.
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posted
I had a similar thought, and thus did not submit chocolate. IIRC, you still won't like what I did submit. *unrepentant*
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I have no idea where I'm going to find peaches and maple sugar in Trinidad. This list would have been easier if I was still in Germany.
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posted
If you can find jaggery, though, that's a very reasonable substitute for maple sugar. Jaggery is the solid form of the sweet sap from the kithul palm tree.
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I can probably find jaggery at the indian grocery but I might also be able to find maple syrup at the regular grocery if I'm lucky.
I probably won't be able to find Marzipan but I know how to make it (although its a lot of work if I can't find blanched almonds or almond meal to start with).
Peaches are going to be the real stinker.
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I love Marzipan but its hard to think of a way to make it go with maple.
Ditto.
Kosher maple sugar may not be so simple; kosher maple syrup is easy, and that may be what I do. OTOH, I'm seriously considering substituting with Dermerra or turbinado sugar instead (which would avoid the taste conflict issue).
And for anyone who cannot get commercial marzipan, I think a simple sweetened almond paste is a perfectly reasonable substitution. Something like this or this. (Which doesn't avoid the blanching almonds issue, but is still an improvement over this.)
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I went shopping and had real trouble finding the right ingredients (except for peaches and cream), so I bought none of them. I'll have to try again next week.
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I know some people are irritated with me about the marzipan, but I'd like a few words with whoever the maple sugar's idea was. After trying three stores where the managers looked at me blankly, I gave up and got maple syrup.
I have a feeling maple sugar is regional.
OTOH, the tart came out wonderfully. I'll try to write up a formal recipe tomorrow.
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posted
I can't even find maple syrup down here. I've looked at two different stores and decided to give up and use demerara sugar. I think you are right that its a regional thing only available in the north east and northern midwest where sugar maples grow. The only time I've seen maple sugar at all in the west is around Christmas time when you can get maple sugar santas.
Marzipan is also a problem for me but I think its commonly available in baking section of most US groceries. I've been making my own for years and I was able to find some blanched almonds so I can deal with that.
Amazingly, I was able to find peaches in the normal grocery store.
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Huh. Sorry about that, I had no idea it would be so hard to find.
Edit: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup. Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by dkw: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup.
And you were so close to being forgiven, too!
Yeah, I know one can make maple sugar from maple syrup. But no thanks!
Rabbit, until a few years ago, there were no kosher brands of plain (as in, not already shaped into little fruits and such) marzipan in the US. There are a couple now, and I actually brought some back from my recent trip to Israel, but I made a lot of marzipan from scratch as a teenager. Glad you were able to find blanched almonds -- I've blanched almonds, and it's a pain.
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I've blanched almonds too, and you are right its a pain. Making the marzipan is trivial compared to blanching the almonds.
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quote:Originally posted by dkw: Huh. Sorry about that, I had no idea it would be so hard to find.
Edit: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup.
That still presumes that you can get maple syrup.
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posted
I'm sure there's some form of sap producing trees in Trinidad. Make your own syrup! The directions for that are in the Little House books too. I seem to recall it required oxen. Although maybe that was just the way they did it in Farmer Boy. They had bigger farms in that one. Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by dkw: I'm sure there's some form of sap producing trees in Trinidad. Make your own syrup!
We've got rubber trees. I'll gather some sap for you and make some syrup if you promise to use it in your dessert.
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posted
I think the company Twinky works for makes food-grade rubber. They use it in chewing gum. I could make a Willie-Wonka style dessert that you chew to get all the yummy flavor but don't swallow.
Alternate answer: Sure! I can't eat this one anyway because I'm off dairy until the nursling grows out of his allergy.
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I've blanched almonds too, and you are right its a pain. Making the marzipan is trivial compared to blanching the almonds.
Tis true. And your hands get all leathery from the tannin.
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: I have to keep looking for marzipan. I have found kosher almond paste, though, and I can make marzipan out of that.
I'd call the almond paste itself a reasonable substitution.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: If you are off dairy due to the nursling's allergy, you are allowed to make substitution for the cream.
I used non-dairy whipping cream just so I could serve it at a meat meal.
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3/4 pound whole wheat filo sheets 1/2 c. Rich's Whip Topping (unwhipped) 100 g. marzipan 1 can (11 oz.) hazelnut praline 2 large nectarines handful of hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 1/4 maple syrup
Grease tart pan. Take 2-3 sheets filo, and fold to fit tart pan -- draping over one side and then folding it back in. Take another two sheets and repeat on the opposite side of the pan. As much as possible, flute edges. Brush with a thin layer of Rich's. Repeat layering of filo and brushing with Rich's -- you should use about 8-12 sheets of filo altogether, and maybe 1/8 c. of the "cream".
In mixer, combine marzipan and praline. Mix until smooth, then slowly add Rich's until consistency is like a very thick batter -- pourable but stiff. Pour into filo crust and spread to edges.
Slice nectarines into slices, and layer in circles on top of marzipan/praline mixture, which should be covered as completely as possible. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and drizzle with maple syrup.
Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool and chill; serve in small wedges.
(I had originally planned to whip the remainder of the Rich's with some maple syrup and serve that with the tart, but I forgot that you're supposed to whip the Rich's and THEN add any other stuff. However, the curdled mess worked quite well as part of a simple cake -- just added a couple eggs, some more maple syrup, some whole wheat flour, a bit of baking powder, some slivered almonds, and some golden raisins. It's been a long time since I baked two deserts for one Shabbos!)
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posted
You'd need to cook it with some starch (pudding-style) or an egg (custard-style) to have it set properly, I think. I don't think the praline paste and marzipan have enough starch to set the cream.
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Well, or just use less cream. I assume some liquid cooked off, and chilling firms it up somewhat.
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It might make a nice variation to add some dark chocolate to the filling. The starch and fats from the chocolate would help firm up the filling (particularly when chilled). That and its hard to imagine any dessert that couldn't be improved by adding a little chocolate.
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However, the curdled mess worked quite well as part of a simple cake -- just added a couple eggs, some more maple syrup, some whole wheat flour, a bit of baking powder, some slivered almonds, and some golden raisins. It's been a long time since I baked two deserts for one Shabbos!)
